Until now, implementing a new mobile radio standard has only affected the way that smart phones work. The use of smart phones got improved by faster internet and higher capacities. By implementing 5G this improvement also takes part in an incomparable manner. In addition to that many other things and processes will undergo a development with 5G: From your grocery shopping, the way of experiencing events and up to the way of the production process: everything gets influenced by the new mobile radio standard. In his article, our CEO, Andreas Westhoff gives some insight in how far 5G could change our world as we know it as well as some barriers that could limit the use of the potential that comes with it.

Why 5G means more than fast HD video streaming in trains

The new mobile radio standard 5G is being broadly discussed at the moment. One commonly underestimates the possibilities of such new technology, compared to older technology such as UMTS (3G) and LTE (4G). Fast video streaming and fast internet represent only a fraction of those things that 5G can make possible. It leaves us with the question: What does that mean for affected industries and our everyday life? The following article is supposed to give you an overview.

Autonomous Driving

One of the most promising, complex and critical applications of 5G is autonomous driving. The sensor technology of Connected Cars needs to recognize various obstacles and react appropriately to them – a process that requires the processing of enormous amounts of data in real-time. Such a procedure wouldn´t be possible without the infrastructure of 5G.

While completely autonomous driving with Connected Cars currently belongs to the dreams of the future, there are currently some cases that come pretty close to an ideal connected car.

In the 5G Mobility Lab of Vodafone they are using a See-Through-Technology. This technology enables the driver to visualize the perspective of the driver ahead. This way you can see through obstacles, react faster and prevent accidents – for instance by having a better overview when overtaking a truck.

Tomorrow´s event experience

Lots of ordinary things get redefined with the process of digitalization, including the experience of a live-event. Characterized by a changed media behavior of the young generation, a digital Add-On experience gets indispensable – caused by the wish to share that individual experience with their community. 5G would enable you, regardless of the events´ location, to get really close to the action; you can then choose between different perspectives via the App. Huge E-Sport events already use this technology nowadays – but mainly in the USA or Asian countries, that are one step ahead of us.

Industry 4.0

An additional area that undergoes development through the new mobile radio standard is Industry 4.0. The transmission capacities of 5G pave the way for connected production processes as well as a considerably higher degree of automation, while the number of connected devices and sensors increases. Applications like Predictive Maintenance or Realtime Analytics that rely on a fast transmission of data can lead to a long-term cost reduction in the value chain of companies and provide more safety in the production.

For instance, the automotive supplier ZF from Friedrichshafen already uses an innovative truck that is capable of autonomous lifting, shifting and stacking at their own depot.

Until now it is not obvious which areas and branches will be influenced by 5G, but: the new mobile radio standard is the basis for many applications that everybody nowadays is talking about, but that are not realizable until 5G is implemented.

It needs to be considered that the technological possibilities can get limited by economical factors, like the procurement of 5G frequencies. Only if it is ensured that frequencies of particular applications can be directly assigned to companies, the potential of this innovation can be used ideal by Start-Ups and industry.